The Bodhisattva Path

I'm reading a couple of versions of The Bodhicaryavatara (A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life) by Santideva. My interest in this text was spawned by a simple quote on the Still Point home page:

May the poor find wealth,Those weak with sorrow find joy;May the forlorn find hope,constant happiness and propserity.May the frightened cease to be afraidand those bound be free;May the weak find power,and may their hearts join in friendship.

This quote sums up what a Bodhisattva wants. If you're unfamiliar with the term, a Bodhisattva is an enlightened being who consciously delays the personal experience and reward of Enlightenment until all beings everywhere can be saved. Santideva wrote the book on it.

Santideva was that Buddhist that could never catch a break. When he worked in the service of a King to ensure that the country was ruled according to Buddhist principles, he inspired the jealousy of other monks. When he resigned his position with the King, he joined the monestary. The monks thought he was lazy and inept. Hoping to prove their opinions of him, they challenged him to a recitation. Santideva asked if he was to recite an existing text or an original composition. When the monks encouraged him to recite an original composition, he recited the Bodhicaryavatara—one of the most beloved texts in Mahayana Buddhism to this day.

Studying the Bodhisattva ideal humbles me. When I look at what it takes to really be a Bodhisattva, I'm struck by the ways in which I whine about my world, my laziness, my frequent detachment from the suffering of others. I see living, breathing examples of this ideal and start to really get what selflessness means.

In the face of complete selflessness, I'm forced to look at all the little things I could be doing to make the world a better place. Instead of beating up on myself for being lacking in saintly behavior, I look at what I can do today.

The Bodhicaryavatara has many suggestions. The beginning of the text focuses on the awakening of the Bodhichitta mind.

Bod · hi · chit · ta In the Tibetan tradition it is seen as having two aspects, relative and absolute. The relative mind of enlightenment is divided again into two phases (1) the intention and wish, nurtured by limitless compassion, to attain liberation for the sake of the welfare of all beings and (2) actual entry into meditation, the purpose of which is the acquisition of the appropriate means to actualize this wish. The absolute mind of enlightenment is viewed as the vision of the true nature of phenomena.

[...from The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen, pg. 23]

So, here's what we can do:

Invoke in ourselves the desire to be compassionate and work for the welfare of all beings

Meditate to acquire the means to be more compassionate and actualize the bodhisattva ideal

This is why sitting matters. No matter how much we might want to save the world, we need to develop ourselves in order to do so. Saving the world starts with saving ourselves. The ability to be compassion, loving-kindness, equanimity and joy increases as we sit with courage and mindfulness. But we have to be intentional. I have to be intentional. I'm off to sit.